


Tell Me that I am a Fool

by ShadowSnowdapple



Category: RWBY
Genre: (but not really), Angst, Assumed Character Death, Bird dad time, Fairgame if you squint, Gen, James is an asshole guys, James thinks he killed a kid and he's surprisingly okay with that, Post- V7 Finale, this is short as heck but here we go
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-09
Updated: 2020-02-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:00:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22622935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowSnowdapple/pseuds/ShadowSnowdapple
Summary: Qrow gets some bad news in jail.
Relationships: Qrow Branwen & James Ironwood, Qrow Branwen & Oscar Pine, Qrow Branwen & Robyn Hill
Comments: 14
Kudos: 214





	Tell Me that I am a Fool

**Author's Note:**

> Couldn't stop thinking about how  
> a. James thinks he killed a kid  
> and   
> b. How Qrow would react to hearing that
> 
> Obviously- Oscar's not dead- he's fine.

Atlas cells were always cold. Qrow had been uh- _previously_ acquainted with them due to prior mischief. Back then, Qrow had lazily waited without a care in the world for good old James to wander up, give him a proper scolding (which Qrow would ignore, of course) and then let him go. This was different.

Qrow kept his hands clasped, the cold metal broach didn’t seem to be able to become warm even after staying in his hands for over an hour now. 

Robyn leaned against him. Now, Robyn didn’t seem like the touchy-feely type, but even though neither her nor Qrow had said much about what happened, she seemed to be trying to comfort him in her own weird way. There was _some_ comfort in feeling another person breathe against you. Not in a sensual way, just a confirmation of life. 

Qrow couldn’t help but wonder what had happened to the kids. Ruby’s transmission had been cut off and then there was a call for them all to be arrested. Jaune and his team must have been separated from them from the sound of his transmission that started that conversation. He said there was big trouble, but never what.

Qrow’s fingers skimmed over the cold metal in his hands, feeling the dried blood flake off onto his fingertips. Time was seeming like to stretch on and on… then there were footsteps. A single pair. Direct. Focused.

“James,” Qrow said before the man’s face even was in view.

The General looked worn. His left arm wrapped and in a sling, tired lines under his eyes, one of his guns were missing. Even so, his uniform was straight and his eyes were cold.

“Qrow.” He responded coldly.

“What do you want?” Qrow asked snidely, clenching his fist, Robyn tensing up next to him.

James’s cold glare moved from Qrow and then Robyn and then back again. “What happened to Tyrian? And Clover.” There was a certain amount of sourness when he said that last name that made Qrow’s skin crawl.

“After your stupid arrest call,” Robyn spoke up, “We got into an argument. Tyrian managed to get loose and crashed the airship.”

James locked eyes with Robyn, who continued to glare at him.

“It wouldn’t have happened if _you_ didn’t abandon _Mantle_ ,” Robyn hissed.

James then turned to lock his eyes with Qrow, "And after that, Qrow? Miss Hill here was out cold until the authorities got there. And Clover was dead. I was given the information that it was your Harbinger that had the blood on it."

Qrow's eyes turned dark, "I'm an unlucky man. It was Tyrian who killed him, but I don't expect you to believe that."

They stared at each other, almost daring the other to flinch. To back down.

"Where are the kids, James?" Qrow asked, his red eyes narrowing evermore.

James huffed. "Honestly, no idea. We found the rest of the Ace Ops out cold and in their own handcuffs just outside my office. Some soldiers said they chased Blake Belladonna, Yang Xiao-Long along with the remaining members of Team JNPR to a stolen Airship. Ruby Rose and Weiss Schnee have not been seen."

Qrow smirked, "That sure as hell sounds like those kids."

"What about that one little boy?" Robyn asked, a scowl growing on her face, "I was rather shocked when you added a _child_ to a list of wanted Huntsmen. If I remember right of what you said last night- that was Beacon's own Headmaster Ozpin, right?"

"He's not Ozpin," Qrow responded first, quickly turning to Robyn, "he's just a kid who got the old man's soul stuck to him. Oscar's his own damn kid."

There was a pause of silence. Qrow slowly turned his head back to James, who's cold expression hadn't moved.

"James, where's the kid?"

A pause.

"I'm sure Oz will contact us in a couple of months."

Qrow shot to his feet, kicking the cell door as close to Ironwood as he could. "The _fuck_ are you talking about, James?"

"I did what needed to be done, Qrow. Oz wouldn't listen to me."

**"He was a child, James!"** Qrow screamed, his shoulders shaking, gripping the broach in his hand until it probably left an imprint on his skin.

"You know as well as I do that that _thing_ wasn't a child!" James yelled back, "Oz did nothing but _hide things_ from the people who _trusted him_ and he wouldn't go beyond using the body he was given to try to manipulate us." The General let out a breath and reigned in his composure, "He had his slips- if you paid attention. He knew too much. Oz thought he was a good enough liar, but not good enough to fool me."

Qrow banged his bound hands against the bars, "you _bastard._ "

James just stared at him. Unfazed.

"I'll come back when you're ready to talk about reality, Branwen."

As he disappeared- Qrow screamed.


End file.
